Industry – News about cool carshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online
All the most interesting news about supercar!Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:08:48 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.3GM to commercialize Cruise AV self-driving car in 2019http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/gm-commercialize-cruise-av-self-driving-car-2019/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 12:56:50 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19732General Motors will put into production self-driving cars devoid of steering wheels and pedals in 2019, the automaker said Thursday. GM also said it planned to start a commercial service for the vehicles that same year, where the public would be able to hail a ride via an app. The car, known as the Cruise AV (Autonomous Vehicle), is based on the Chevrolet...

General Motors will put into production self-driving cars devoid of steering wheels and pedals in 2019, the automaker said Thursday.

GM also said it planned to start a commercial service for the vehicles that same year, where the public would be able to hail a ride via an app.

The car, known as the Cruise AV (Autonomous Vehicle), is based on the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Production will take place at GM’s Orion Township plant in Michigan, the same plant where the Bolt EV is produced.

The roof-mounted modules that contain most of the hardware required for automated driving, including lidar, radar, and cameras, will be produced at GM’s Brownstown plant. The plant, which is also located in Michigan, is where GM currently produces some batteries and in 2020 will also produce fuel cell stacks.

“We’re continuing to make great progress on our plans to commercialize in 2019,” GM President Dan Ammann said Thursday regarding plans for the Cruise AV. “Our Orion and Brownstown teams have proven experience in building high-quality self-driving test vehicles and battery packs, so they are well-prepared to produce the Cruise AV.”

GM showed us the Cruise AV in January but this is the first time the automaker has committed to a timeline for commercialization of self-driving cars. GM is yet to announce which location(s) the Cruise AV will be launched in, though it will likely be somewhere where prototypes are already testing. The list includes downtown San Francisco, as well as Scottsdale, Arizona and Warren, Michigan. GM also plans to start testing prototypes in Manhattan soon.

GM is still waiting on federal approval for use of the Cruise AV on public streets, which is much harder than for other self-driving cars because of the lack of a steering wheel and pedals. The prototypes could escape this issue because they still have steering wheels and pedals. The automaker will also need to receive approval at the state level; the current list of states that would allow it include Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Should all go to plan, the cars will join a ride-sharing fleet either operated by GM or a partner such as Lyft. GM last August announced its own ride-sharing service called Cruise Anywhere that so far has only been used by employees at Cruise Automation, the self-driving car development company acquired by GM in 2016 for a rumored $1 billion.

Waymo, the self-driving division of tech giant Alphabet, says it plans to start its own self-driving service very soon in Phoenix, Arizona. The company fits its self-driving system to Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans and is testing the technology in 25 cities across the United States.

Both GM and Waymo’s self-driving cars are at Level 4 capability. This is because they are restricted to areas with sufficient map data and are also incapable of handling certain weather conditions, such as heavy snow. The final goal is a Level 5 car, which can handle all situations that a human driver is capable of.

]]>GM to test AirBnB-style program for carshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/gm-test-airbnb-style-program-cars/
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:11:52 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19668General Motors is positioning itself for a subscription-based future with its Maven personal mobility and car-sharing service, and its next step may set its sights on the Turo service, which is an AirBnB for cars. The automaker will reportedly launch a pilot peer-to-peer car rental service this summer. For those unfamiliar, Turo allows owners to sign up and...

General Motors is positioning itself for a subscription-based future with its Maven personal mobility and car-sharing service, and its next step may set its sights on the Turo service, which is an AirBnB for cars. The automaker will reportedly launch a pilot peer-to-peer car rental service this summer.

For those unfamiliar, Turo allows owners to sign up and rent their vehicles out when they’re not using them. GM’s unnamed service, which will likely be part of the Maven brand, would allow owners of Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC vehicles to rent them out in a similar fashion. According to details in a report published on Tuesday, owners will list their vehicles via the Maven app and share revenue with GM when the vehicles are rented.

The report cautioned the summer introduction will just be a pilot program, but GM seeks to grow the venture into a major revenue stream if it’s successful.

Maven currently offers a handful of services. Users can rent a car from GM directly, and in most cases the rental includes maintenance, insurance, and, for the Chevrolet Bolt EV, charging. Maven also offers cars via “Maven Gig” for freelancers, and GM has partnered with Lyft for an “Express Drive” program that offers reliable vehicles for Lyft drivers for a weekly rate.

The peer-to-peer rental service would compliment Maven’s current portfolio of services, but it would likely pull in more revenue since GM won’t have to maintain the vehicles itself, Alexandre Marian, and automotive consultant for AlixPartners LLP, said.

Eventually, GM will likely introduce even grander services via Maven. The automaker has been working tirelessly with its Cruise Automation subsidiary to bring commercialized self-driving cars to market in 2019. Maven could even launch its own ride-sharing service to rival Uber and Lyft, potentially with GM’s self-driving cars.

]]>Ex-Faraday Future execs form EV startup, promise first model by 2021http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/ex-faraday-future-execs-form-ev-startup-promise-first-model-2021/
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 12:38:47 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19652A band of executives that up until last year were working for Faraday Future have joined forces to launch an electric car startup of their own. Their new company, called Evelozcity, is based in Los Angeles and already has seed funding of approximately $1 billion from investors in the United States, Europe and China. The execs include Stefan Krause, Ulrich...

A band of executives that up until last year were working for Faraday Future have joined forces to launch an electric car startup of their own.

Their new company, called Evelozcity, is based in Los Angeles and already has seed funding of approximately $1 billion from investors in the United States, Europe and China.

The execs include Stefan Krause, Ulrich Kranz and Richard Kim. All three worked at BMW prior to joining Faraday Future. Kim, who heads design at Evelozcity, had a similar role at Faraday Future, while Krause and Kranz are in charge of the company’s operations and technology, respectively.

At Faraday Future, Krause and Kranz were brought in much later to help steer the company after it hit some financial hurdles, primarily due to 2016’s cash crunch experienced by its main Chinese backer LeEco, run by Jia Yueting. However, after butting heads with Jia late last year, they left to form Evelozcity.

Evelozcity’s strategy is to mimic Apple, and to a lesser extent the original Fisker Automotive, by designing and marketing its own products but outsourcing their production. In this way the company hopes to avoid the costly issue of setting up a production facility, which remains one of Faraday Future’s most troubling issues. Production woes are also troubling Tesla, which is experiencing delays and quality issues with its Model 3.

Evelozcity also wants to differentiate itself from Faraday Future and also Tesla by targeting the affordable end of the electric car market. Instead of starting off with large, luxury cars, Evelozcity wants to initially target the three segments of city cars, last-mile delivery cars, and ride-sharing cars. The company’s first cars will be based on a common skateboard-style platform that will house all of the running gear and on which various bodies can be attached. Evelozcity also plans to integrate self-driving systems as the technology materializes. The company’s first model is promised for 2021 and with a range of about 250 miles, reported on Tuesday.

Given the Evelozcity execs’ recent and close association with Faraday Future, understandably there hasn’t been a clean break-up. Faraday Future in late January filed a lawsuit against Krause alleging that he stole a number of trade secrets and improperly solicited employees to join him at his new startup. Krause so far has denied all of the allegations.

Meanwhile, back at Faraday Future, the company in February received a $1.5 billion lifeline from investors and held a meeting with suppliers where details of future models were provided. The immediate plan is to get the FF91 into production at a plant in Hanford, California by the end of 2018.

]]>Porsche Mission E platform can support additional body styleshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/porsche-mission-e-platform-can-support-additional-body-styles/
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 06:38:51 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19632If the Porsche Mission E won't do, the luxury and sports car brand hinted it may have other variants in store following the car's launch in late 2019. Nothing too radical, but the Mission E's platform, codenamed J1, can support additional body styles such as coupes and convertibles, Stefan Weckbach, head of electric car development at Porsche, told Car and...

If the Porsche Mission E won’t do, the luxury and sports car brand hinted it may have other variants in store following the car’s launch in late 2019.

Nothing too radical, but the Mission E’s platform, codenamed J1, can support additional body styles such as coupes and convertibles, Stefan Weckbach, head of electric car development at Porsche, told . He also noted rear-wheel drive is a very good possibility for some Mission E models.

Porsche also hinted the Mission E Cross Turismo concept rolled out at last week’s 2018 Geneva International Motor Show has a decent shot at production. The concept car boasts a higher ride height and a more wagon-like rear end, but still features an estimated 300-mile range and is compatible with an 800-volt charging system. The system will charge 80 percent of the battery in as little as 15 minutes.

What won’t J1 underpin? SUVs. Weckbach said the platform doesn’t work well with taller vehicles and high floors.

We do know that Bentley and Audi want in on the J1 platform, which Porsche developed itself. It’s different from Audi and Porsche’s co-developed PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform, which won’t be ready for a few more years.

Last November, a report suggested both brands applied to develop their own electric cars on the J1 architecture, and Bentley has already confirmed it will develop an electric sports car at some point. The EXP 12 Speed 6e concept shown at the 2017 Geneva auto show may preview Bentley’s future sports car.

Meanwhile, Audi may have already decided on the e-tron GT name for its J1-based electric car. Ex-Audi Sport boss Stephan Winkelmann last fall said the Audi go-fast division would launch an electric car in 2020 or 2021.

All of the potential future derivatives discussed will arrive next decade following the production Mission E’s debut in 2019. And thus far, Porsche hasn’t even revealed what the Mission E’s production name will be.

From 2019 onward, no Buick vehicle will carry the “Buick” nameplate at the vehicle’s rear. The global brand wants to move towards a consistent badging strategy globally, apparently meaning no “Buick” badges at all.

first reported the news last Friday, but a Buick spokesperson confirmed the strategy with . The refreshed 2019 Buick Envision is the first Buick to ditch its namesake badge.

The brand also told that research suggested the Buick tri-shield badge, now finished in red, silver, and blue, is recognizable enough on its own That would mean in China, where five times as many Buicks are sold as in North America.

The spokesperson suggested that removing the “Buick” nameplate badge from its vehicles also opens up prime real estate for a new badge: Avenir. Buick launched Avenir as its own sub-brand akin to GMC’s Denali in 2016 and boast exclusive concept car-inspired trimmings, such as the wheels, grille, and more luxurious interiors. The Enclave was Buick’s first Avenir-branded vehicle, followed by the LaCrosse Avenir.

“As we continue to build out the Avenir brand within Buick it opens up the space for a potential rear “Avenir” badge, but we’re not confirming any official move on that at this point,” Buick said in a statement.

The 2019 Envision is the first to lose the Buick nameplate badge, but every 2019 Buick model will eventually lose the badging as well. From then on, only the vehicle’s model name itself and tri-shield badge will be present at the rear.

]]>Volkswagen plans to launch one electric car per month starting in 2022http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/volkswagen-plans-launch-one-electric-car-per-month-starting-2022/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 18:13:49 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19617Volkswagen will open the floodgates in 2022 and launch a new electric car every month as it works aggressively to electrify its portfolio, the automaker said. VW CEO Matthias Müeller told journalists Tuesday in Berlin that 30 electric cars will be launched by 2025, according to Autocar. Volkswagen calls the plan "Together - Strategy 2025" and it...

Volkswagen will open the floodgates in 2022 and launch a new electric car every month as it works aggressively to electrify its portfolio, the automaker said.

VW CEO Matthias Müeller told journalists Tuesday in Berlin that 30 electric cars will be launched by 2025, according to . Volkswagen calls the plan “Together – Strategy 2025” and it includes plans for 300 electrified vehicles by 2030, many of which will be electrified versions of current models.

Müller said the strategy will kick off with the Volkswagen ID, its first purpose-built electric car, which will likely replace the e-Golf. The about-face for electrification starting in 2022 was due to Dieselgate, he said.

“The diesel scandal told us there was a need for radical change; the crisis has acted as a catalyst,” said Muller.

To accommodate production, Müller said the company will adapt nine production sites to handle electric-vehicle production. The figure will grow to 16 by 2022. The automaker will add even more EV-production sites as the market demands. Previously, VW said it estimates 25 percent of new car buyers will seek an electric car by 2025.

In the United States, VW will produce the ID Buzz electric van, along with a cargo van and a hatchback by 2022. Though, the reborn Microbus’ arrival will spell the end of the Beetle.

The automaker also has shown the ID Crozz concept, an electric crossover, and recently revealed the ID Vizzion concept, which may preview an electric Phaeton successor. We also hear a sporty electric hatchback may be part of the product onslaught.

]]>Chinese firm reaches deal with Techrules to use turbine extended-range electric powertrainhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/chinese-firm-reaches-deal-techrules-use-turbine-extended-range-electric-powertrain/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 17:08:52 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19614Chinese electric car startup Techrules used last week's 2018 Geneva International Motor Show to present the Ren RS, a track-focused electric supercar with a micro-turbine range extender. The company also used the show to announce it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CRRC Times Electric, a fellow Chinese company which is looking to use Techrules'...

Chinese electric car startup Techrules used last week’s 2018 Geneva International Motor Show to present the Ren RS, a track-focused electric supercar with a micro-turbine range extender.

The company also used the show to announce it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CRRC Times Electric, a fellow Chinese company which is looking to use Techrules’ powertrain technology in buses.

The powertrain, known as the Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV) system, employs a diesel-powered micro-turbine to drive a generator and rapidly charge a battery, which then powers an electric drive system. The TREV has a modular design so can fit a variety of applications. For example, the Ren RS can be equipped with two micro-turbines, a 28.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, and six electric motors with a combined output of 1,287 horsepower and 1,725 pound-feet of torque.

CRRC Times Electric sees the weight-saving and range-extending capabilities of Techrules’ powertrain as ideal for public transport in major cities, where fuel efficiency and low emissions are vital.

“The agreement we have signed with [CRRC Times Electric ] is an important milestone in the history of Techrules,” Techrules CTO Matthew Jin said in a statement. “Following significant interest in our micro-turbine recharging technology, we are working hard to establish key partnerships with several global companies that will enable us to develop new products and low-emission commercial applications for our advanced propulsion system, including a variety of low-emissions mobility solutions and light commercial vehicles.”

Other firms Techrules is working with include Wuzhoulong Motors, which is also looking to use Techrules’ powertrain technology in buses, and Shenzhen BAK Technology, which is looking to use the technology in light commercial vehicles.

Techrules still plans its own vehicles. The first will be a production version of the Ren supercar due in about two years, the company says.

]]>The Boring Company’s tunnels will prioritize mass transit over carshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/boring-companys-tunnels-will-prioritize-mass-transit-cars/
Mon, 12 Mar 2018 13:53:24 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19563Elon Musk early last year announced plans for the new venture The Boring Company that would look to create tunnels under congested cities through which cars could be transported riding on electric-powered, high-speed sleds. But Musk took to Twitter on Friday to announce that The Boring Company, as well as a Hyperloop venture the Tesla CEO is also planning...

Elon Musk early last year announced plans for the new venture The Boring Company that would look to create tunnels under congested cities through which cars could be transported riding on electric-powered, high-speed sleds.

But Musk took to Twitter on Friday to announce that The Boring Company, as well as a Hyperloop venture the Tesla CEO is also planning, will prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars.

Will still transport cars, but only after all personalized mass transit needs are met. It’s a matter of courtesy & fairness. If someone can’t afford a car, they should go first.

Musk in a separate tweet Friday said the change from cars to shuttles was made out of “courtesy” and “fairness,” explaining that The Boring Company would aim to initially provide transport for those who may not be able to afford a car. The plan is still to enable cars to travel in the tunnels eventually, Musk also said in the tweet.

He also posted a video that demonstrated how a small shuttle could be transported via one of The Boring Company’s sleds. A previous video demonstrated a Tesla Model S being transported.

As the new video demonstrates, The Boring Company would rely on a small stations about the size of a single parking space where one of the company’s shuttles could enter or exit the tunnel. In a separate tweet on Friday, Musk said thousands of the stations could follow the layout of The Boring Company’s tunnels.

The Boring Company is still testing a prototype setup located near the headquarters of SpaceX, another of Musk’s ventures. The company last December released a map showing its first proposed network of tunnels running under the greater Los Angeles area.

How effective might the solution be? Musk has previously said a trip from the Westwood suburbs to LAX would take roughly five minutes, as opposed to the hour it currently takes during peak traffic times. Before construction of any new tunnels can begin, however, The Boring Company will need to prove that the concept is both technologically and commercially viable. It will also need to receive government approval to start tunneling under L.A.

]]>Porsche first to bring blockchain to auto industryhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/porsche-first-bring-blockchain-auto-industry/
Mon, 12 Mar 2018 11:38:21 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19557Porsche believes it will thrive and also set standards in the auto industry's coming electrification era, and the innovation has already begun today. The German performance marque announced it will bring blockchain to its cars, a digital ledger that records transactions chronologically and publicly. For a bit of background, blockchain predominantly powers...

Porsche believes it will thrive and also set standards in the auto industry’s coming electrification era, and the innovation has already begun today.

The German performance marque announced it will bring blockchain to its cars, a digital ledger that records transactions chronologically and publicly.

For a bit of background, blockchain predominantly powers cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. As a transaction or other event happens, it is recorded in the fully accessible blockchain for the greatest amount of transparency. It’s also tamper-proof, which makes it highly desirable to Porsche. The brand believes its potential can bring greater peace of mind to drivers as data transfers and third-party applications require more from cars and their onboard technology.

Security is important, but Porsche also sees blockchain as the foundation for future business models. The system could create an extremely fast and secure network for electric car charging station availability and payment. Further into the future, it may also prove essential to self-driving cars. Information from a self-driving Porsche on, let’s say, road conditions, could be uploaded and distributed across the blockchain. From there, other vehicles’ software connected to the system could access and analyze the information to provide a warning to traffic congestion or inclement weather.

Porsche will bring blockchain to its cars via a Berlin, Germany-based startup called XAIN. The company won the first Porsche Innovation Contest on the subject of blockchain last summer. Prototype versions from XAIN in a Panamera currently use blockchain to analyze charging infrastructure and even parking. And Porsche also has a whole department focused on the growing area of digitization in the auto industry.

]]>Volkswagen will kill the Beetle, squashes plans for a successorhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/volkswagen-will-kill-beetle-squashes-plans-successor/
Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:08:21 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19447When the current-generation Volkswagen Beetle runs out its current lifecycle, it will be the end of the road for the nameplate. The German automaker confirmed plans for a next-generation Beetle are off the table and the car will exit production, according to an Autocar report published this Tuesday. The news follows rumors of an all-electric Beetle that had...

When the current-generation Volkswagen Beetle runs out its current lifecycle, it will be the end of the road for the nameplate. The German automaker confirmed plans for a next-generation Beetle are off the table and the car will exit production, according to an report published this Tuesday.

The news follows rumors of an all-electric Beetle that had swirled for months. VW was reportedly looking at using the MEB platform, the automaker’s dedicated electric-car architecture, to create a next-generation Beetle similar to the original. It would have been rear-wheel drive with its powertrain stuffed in the rear. VW chairman Herbert Diess said the MEB platform provided good chances for more “emotional” cars.

VW’s research and development head, Frank Welsch, broke the Beetle’s fate and said the reborn Microbus will serve as the brand’s retro-inspired model. Additionally, VW will cover its bases with the recently announced T-Roc Cabriolet, which will serve as a Beetle Cabriolet replacement.

The new Microbus will be based on the ID Buzz concept and reach production around 2021 or 2022, which means the Beetle likely has a couple more years left in it. Welsch did not provide a specific timetable for the Beetle’s death.

He also echoed Diess’ earlier sentiment that the MEB platform will allow for more expressive vehicles. “You can do a bus and be an authentic vehicle with the original shape, and steering wheel mounted like the original. You can’t do that with an engine in the front,” he said.

VW may also have a few other surprises to share with the MEB platform in the future. Diess previously mentioned possible plans for a reborn, all-electric Thing utility vehicle and even a new dune buggy.